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BOSTON, May 19 (UPI) — Left-hander Jon Lester pitched the 18th no-hitter in Red Sox history Monday when Boston defeated the Kansas City Royals, 7-0.
Lester (3-2), who was diagnosed with a form of cancer two years ago, struck out nine and issued only two walks — the first in the second inning to Billy Butler and the other in the ninth to Esteban German.
After Lester, 24, walked German to start the ninth, Tony Pena ground out to third base, David DeJesus grounded out to first, and Alberto Callaspo struck out swinging at a high fastball.
Lester threw 130 pitches, 86 for strikes.
The Red Sox have had the last two no-hitters in the majors. Clay Buchholz had the other Sept. 1, 2007, against Baltimore.
Lester is the first Red Sox left-hander to pitch a no-hitter since Mel Parnell did it against the Chicago White Sox July 14, 1956.
Lester’s 2006 rookie season was cut short due to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but he returned in July 2007 and went 4-0 with a 4.57 earned run average in 12 games, 11 of which were starts. He was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the World Series against Colorado.
This was Lester’s first career complete game.
It is just the second time the Royals have been no-hit. The LA Angels’ Nolan Ryan did it May 15, 1973.

upi.com

DETROIT — It’s back.
The Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche will rekindle one of the NHL’s best rivalries on Thursday night in Game 1 of a Western Conference semifinal. Detroit and Colorado met in five post-seasons between 1996-2002 - with the Avs advancing three times - and the franchises combined to win five Stanley Cups during that seven-year stretch.
“We pushed each other to be the best,” Red Wings forward Darren McCarty said Wednesday before facing Colorado for a sixth time in the playoffs. “It was a slugfest back and forth - figuratively.”
Blood, brawls - involving even goaltenders - and broken bones made the matchups that much more interesting.
“You hated a few of those guys on that team,” McCarty said. “But you had the utmost respect for them.”
McCarty said he hated Claude Lemieux, who broke Kris Draper’s nose and jaw with a blind-sided check into the boards, and acknowledged he’s still loathed in Denver.
Draper and McCarty are two of the eight players who helped the Red Wings beat Colorado in the 2002 conference finals and win their third title in six years.
The Avs have just four players - Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Adam Foote and Milan Hejduk - still around from the previous matchup in the playoffs.
“If you’re part of that, you remember that. You know the buzz in both cities,” Sakic said. “The newer guys that weren’t around for those series are going to get a taste of it right away.”
Joel Quenneville agreed.
He experienced the rivalry behind the bench as an assistant on Colorado’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 1996.
“The guys that haven’t felt it or seen it will immediately capture the feeling, the excitement, the meaning of a shift,” Quenneville said. “The building will be loud and crazy.
“There are a lot of good things going into it, but whether you’ve been a part of it or not, you’ll be able to feel it.”

canadianpress.google.com

THE RED Bull Air Race World Series 2008 commences in Abu Dhabi today with the hospitality areas doors opening at 12.00 which you must purchase tickets for. Wherever you are viewing today’s qualifying, the ticketed areas or on the Corniche, you are in for a treat. At 1pm side acts including air performances from renowned athletes and flying squads will entertain the crowd. Skydivers, helicopter aerobatic teams as well as many more acts are set dazzle and astound. Qualifying begins at 2pm for the pilots taking to the skies for this year’s tournament. This is the fourth successive year that Abu Dhabi has held a Red Bull Air Race (the actual race being tomorrow) and this year promises to be the best yet. Under the patronage of Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan and in close partnership with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority the Corniche will accommodate an estimated 250,000 spectators all marvelling at the ultimate racing challenge.
The Red Bull Air Race is a series of ten two-day events held at different locations around the world. Fantastically powerful aircraft, piloted by a selection of the most gifted aerobatic flyers in the world race around 5km track set out by inflatable pylons or ‘Air Gates.’ Competitors must fly through the Air Gates in a predetermined order and fashion. There are strict rules on how the planes must fly through the Air Gates giving the crowd the opportunity to see world-class aerobatics as well as speed. This year twelve pilots will be competing to take the crown from last year’s champion Mike Mangold from the USA. The first day (today) will see two rounds of qualifying followed by results determining the pilots’ positions tomorrow. Each pilot will fly twice with their better time taken as their qualifying time. The pilots who qualify 9th to 12th will be out of the main competition and will be vying for one point in the ‘Point One’ stage on race day. ‘Point One’ is where the four slowest pilots have a chance to get in the scoring by winning a tournament between themselves and thus coming 9th overall. The pilot to complete the course in the slowest time will also go first on race day.

khaleejtimes.com

BY SETH FIEGERMAN
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Saturday, April 12th 2008, 4:00 AM
Two baseball fans on opposite sides of the game’s greatest rivalry won free tickets to the matchup, courtesy of the Daily News.
A longtime Yankees fan and a die-hard Red Sox fan each won four tickets through The News to watch the teams duke it out next week.
“I bought my kids bright, new, obnoxious red sweatshirts to show off the Red Sox,” said Jackie Stewart, 36, of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, who plans to take her husband and their two oldest kids to the game.
“We’re excited to represent our team at the game.”
And on the Yankees side, “It’s going to be an exciting series to watch,” said John Inervello, 55, of Yonkers, who has followed the Bombers all his life. “I don’t think I’m going to paint my face or do anything crazy like that.”
“I remember going to the Stadium when I was a kid,” said Inervello, a mailman who said he hasn’t gone in two years because of rising ticket prices.
Before winning The News’ ticket giveaway, Inervello worried he wouldn’t make it to a game this season, either.
“It’s going to be a treat,” he said.
Despite their different allegiances, both fans agree it will be emotional to sit in the Stadium.
Stewart, who has never been, is looking forward to her first time in the House that Ruth Built. “It’s such a historic place,” she said. “It really transcends teams.”
Don’t worry though if you’re a Yankee fan without a ticket. There will be other chances to watch the team play its final season in the historic ballpark.
The News is launching another giveaway Monday for the Yankees-Mets Subway Series in May. Winners will each get four tickets.

nydailynews.com

“It’s Opening Day! It’s Opening Day! It’s Opening Day! Red Sox-A’s are on! Red Sox-A’s are on!”
I just got done running up and down the street yelling that like baseball fan version of Paul Revere. You probably didn’t hear it because the odds are pretty slim that I’m your neighbor. Oh, and one more thing — it’s still pitch black here on the East Coast.
Don’t worry, you can go ahead and hit the snooze button. From the first pitch to the last out, Page 2 has you covered with everything you need to know about the 2008 season opener.
Worth Getting Up For: Didn’t you hear? It’s Opening Day! If you can’t get excited for this, our condolences to your family and friends — because you’re dead.
Should Have Stayed In Bed: If you drafted Daisuke Matsuzaka for your fantasy team, you probably don’t want to see his third pitch of the season (spoiler alert: it was a home run to Mark Ellis). Or the walk he followed it up with. Or how he managed to follow that by hitting Jack Cust in the foot. Or the wild pitch after that. Or the walk after that. Or the RBI groundout to Bobby Crosby, who Gary Thorne reminded everyone is hitting .228 for the past two years. A 32-pitch effort in the end. Welcome home, Daisuke.
What I Wish I Saw: A rousing pregame performance of Styx singing Mr. Roboto.
Highlight/Lowlight: How is J.D. Drew going to answer his critics this season that he’s easily injured? By informing Terry Francona right before the lineup cards were exchanged that his back is bothering him and won’t be able to play.
You’re going to hear it one more time — it’s Opening Day. That alone warrants the 10 spot.
Worth Getting Up For: Travis Buck’s

sports.espn.go.com